St Mary Steps, Deanery of Xtianity.

Chanter 225A, 276-277

Population and dissenters: I have upon the best Calculation that I can make, in my Parish of St. Mary Steps, about two Hundred families. And of them, I thank God, I have not more than four whole families of Dissenters of any kind & they Presbyterians. I have no meeting=house of Dissenters of any kind in this Parish.

Public or charity schools: I have one publick School wherein ten Children are taught to read & Spell upon Charity, that passes through my hands & about twenty more at the expence of their owne friends or Relations. These Children are carefully taught & Instructed not only to read & spell well, but also to understand the Principles of the Christian Religion, as explained in our Church Catechisme & are brought duely to Church as the Canon requires. There is also another reading School in this parish supported cheifly by the Charity of the Dissenters in which I understand the Assembly’s Catechisme is only taught. But what the number of Children or the salery to support the School may be, I cannot learn.

Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment:
There is no Alms-house or Hospital or other Charitable endowment that I know of at present. There have been severall sums of money & Lands that have <been> given to the parish for the repair of the church & other pious uses. But the greatest part of the money & some part of the Land have been since lost & destroyed by the neglect & mismanagement of former Trustess. But the Interest of the Charity money that remains to the parish & the Income of the Lands that remain, which I believe may amount to about ten or twelve pounds per annum are generally applyed by the present feoffees to the Church rate for the repairs of the Church, & I hope to discharg their trust honestly.

Residence upon cure: I do reside on my other parish of St Edmunds, there being no Parsonage=house in this parish.

Divine service at other churches: I do not perform Divine service at any other Church, besides my own; Unless when requested to do so occasionally, either in the sickness or absence of any neighbouring Brother.

Frequency of divine service: Divine service is duely performed twice every Lords day, with two sermons. And every Wednesday, Fraiday, & Saturday I have Prayers once a day & likewise upon every Festivall & fast that is appointed to be observed in our Church.

Frequency of communion: The Sacrament is Administred six times in the year in this Parish & six times in St Edmunds; & we take It regularly by Turns alternately. So that in both those Parishes we have Monthly Sacraments duely administred.

Number of communicants: I believe we may have between three & four Hundred Communicants in both Parishes, that do receive sometimes or other; & the usuall number that we have at each time of Communicating may be about one Hundred; & as far as I can recollect, we might last Easter have about six or seven Score.

Catechising of children: I do generally Catechise the Children of my Parishes for about twelve weeks togather in the Summer time between Midsummer & Michaelmas & do usually explain It by a short exposition, & have commonly a good number of Children sent, but can get very few or no servants or Apprentices to come.